Pickpocket trap



Spt. 19, 1950 w. F. CURRY 2,522,606

PICKPOGKET TRAP l Filed July 22, 1949 19 jo @ly/Z. J

19 s ,2f 3 37 3535 E52 Inventor Attorney Patented Sept. 19, 1950 rroKPooxET TRAP Watson Franklin Curry, St. Louis, Mo..

Application July 22, 1949, Serial No. 106,106

4 claims.

Thisinvention relates to a novel trap for use in capturing pickpockets and more particularly to a trap which is constructed to simulate a wallet or pocketbook which is adapted to be carried in a garment pocket tethered to the garment or pocket so that when the trap is grasped and an attempt is made to remove it from the pocket the trap will thereby be sprung from a set position by a pull exerted on its tethering means for trapping the pickpocket.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a trap which is adapted to be normally carried in the pocket in a set position and which is provided with spring projected hooks which are released and spring projected by removal of the trap from the pocket for piercing the hand of a thief holding the wallet trap to thereby prevent the thief from escaping.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a trap which is constructed to very realistically simulate a wallet and which is covered with leather or similar wallet or pocketbook material so that pickpockets, in grasping the trap, cannot distinguish it from a wallet by the feel thereof andA will not thereby be forewarned against attempting to remove the wallet trap.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trap of extremely simple construction which will function efliciently for its intended purpose and which may be readily reset after use.

A Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

"Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the trap taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line I-I of Figure 2';

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in top plan of the trap taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure l; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the trap taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

'.Figure 4 .is an end elevational view of the invention looking from right to left of Figures 1 and 2;

VFigure 5 is a top plan view of the trap; and

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of certain of the parts of the trap.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the pickpocket trap in its entirety and comprising the 'inventionis designated generally 8 and includes a housing, ydesignated generally 9 of sheet metal which is composed of end walls Ill and II,

corresponding 'side walls IZ'which are connected to or formed integral with the end Walls I0 and II and a top wall I3. As best seen in Figure 2, the end wall I I extends to beyond the side walls I2 and is secured at its ends by a suitable bonding medium I 4 or in any other desired manner to portions of the interior of a casing, designated generally I5 which encloses the trap housing 9.

Said casing I5 is preferably formed of leather or any other material corresponding to a material of which a pocket book or wallet is formed and is of substantially the same shape and size as a wallet and includes an outer envelope-like section I6 havingrounded ends`I'I and I8, similar in shape to the ends of a wallet and which are spaced outwardly from the end walls l0 and II of the housing 9. The trap casing I5 is also provided with an inner section or ply I9 which extends around the end Il thereof and along the bottom or side which is located remote to the top wall I3 of the housing '9 and along the side edges of the trap and along the top thereof outwardly of the side walls I2. The end I8 of the casing I5 is provided with a'separate inner ply 20 the edges of which are bonded, likewise as seen at I4 in Figure 2, vto theopposite, outer side of the end wall Il. The rounded end I3 of the trap casing I5 is provided with an elongated slot or opening 2|, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The end wall Il! 'is provided with a small opening 22 and the end wall II is provided with an enlarged flanged and internally threaded opening Z3 which aligns with said opening 22. A rod or shaft 2li which is preferably square in cross section is provided with restricted extensions 25 and 26 which project from the ends thereof and which are of circular cross section. The extension 25 is journaled in the opening 22 and the rod or shaft 24 is of a length so that its extension 26 is then spaced from the anged opening 23 of the end wall II. An externally threaded socket member 2l is threaded inwardly into the opening 23 and has an inwardly opening socket 28 to receive and journal the extension 26 so that the' shaft or rod 2li is rotatably mounted in the housing 9 by its extensions 25 and 26 which arel journaled in `the opening 22 and socket 28, respectively.

The shaft 2li is provided with a rigid bar 29 which is fixedly secured thereto and which projects laterally. therefrom adjacent the end thereof provided with the extension 25. A plurality of hooks' 30, corresponding to fishhooks and having turned back barbed ends 3| are each provided with a Substantially straight shank terminating in a square eye or loop 32 which is secured by a tight press nt engagement on the square shaft 24 to prevent the trap hooks 30 from turning relatively to the shaft 24 and so that the Shanks of said hooks will be disposed in substantially the same plane as the bar 29. The barbed ends 3| of the hooks extend upwardly from the hooi; Shanks teward 'the topayvall |;3 -rsvhe-n the trap is in a set position, as illustrated Ain the drawing.

The end walls Ill and are provided with aligned openings 33 for reciprocally receiving the end portions of a trigger bar 34 which is `d,isposed reciprocally therein for longitudinalsliding in ovement in the housing S and whichis clisposed-`be yond the turned back barbed 611.615 LA3.4 v` cri :the hooks 3|). The openings 33 are sufficiently large so that one end of the trigger bar 34 ca-nfbe'inserted outwardly through the opening 33 of the end FWall y|| 'with :the 4-bar 34 :flexed slightly .and after which the :other end-,maybe moved outwardly through the `other opening afpy sliding .theba-r 341m the opposite direction or from right toqleftoif Figure :2. fSaidebar 3.34 is iprovi'dedfwith a flaiteral projection 3;,5 for engaging the ,inner side of `,the end wall 105110 li-mit the extent that the trigger 'bar :314 can ,move .outwardly through the ripening `33 of Lend avail 1|0.. .After the har 34 has v,thus ibeen applied, fthe fend :thereof which is disposed outwardly of fthe V:end :wall IIJ :turned upwardly to -form 'a stop 13S 'for "limiting fthe ex5 ten-.t 4that 4the bar .'34 can be-moved from leftfto right, .as -seen virvFigi--ir-.e '2,180 :that -the .reciprocating movement yof the trigger l:bar :34 limited `by the 'stops k35 and 35 engaging .opposite .sides of .the end ,wall tu., or fa purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. rThe :trigger bar 34 is provided with an integral Llateral `.extensiolfl :3l which :is 4.disposed -inwardly vof and adjacent 'the end wall :Ill and which .extends toward uthe :rod oriS'haft 24 .to provide adetentiwhich ris adapted to :be disposed :over zthe :free rend of the V`bar 2.9 when `the trap =8 is in a :set'position :andwvith fthe stop :125 engaging the inner side of the :end Awall Ml, fas illustrated `in Figure 12 `to :thereby :prevent :the ,bar i219 and 'theihooks 30 -from swinging upwardly. AfTlie :rod or .shaft 2s iis urgedfto rotate in a direction .to cause the2hooks330 fto .Swing upward-ly yor ,toward :the vtop iwall '1.3 bya spring 38 which is wound on the shaitf24 betweenthe bar 219 and .the .adjacent :hook 30 `rand Yene end vof which spring, designated #3.9, extends downwardly and bears .against the :inner 4aside .of the adjacent wall |i2, .as seen vin Figure 3, .and the other end 'thereof l.extends Vin the opposite direc-.- tion-and nasa lateral :terminal .All which :engages under the bar T29 :for vurging said bar to Vswing upwardly or toward the atop v,wall |3fforlurg1ng the hooks 33 tofswing in thesame direction. "However, it will be seen that Awhen the trap B is set, as `illustrated in Figure 2, .the parts .are held against swinging movement Jay .the 1.trigger de.- tent vv3l .engaging v.over the 4free .end of the/:bar u29).

The top wall :|j3 and .the Lcasing'eply |16 which overlies said .top wall I3 are :provided with trans.- verse'ly extending :slots or .openings @4| :located above ,each of the hooks f3!) and .the bar -29 and spring end .42B so 4that `when -said Ebar 29 is released by the trigger detent 3l' the spring :318 can fturn athe shaft 24 fin 'a .counterclockwise direction .as seen in .fFigure 3, .=to `swing A'the bar 29 and the 'hooks i313 a counterclockwise .direction npwardly fand lthrough the slots or openings 4| :so that .said thanks move from ,their vfull 4 line to their dotted line position under the biasing action of the spring 38.

The opposite end of the trigger bar 34 which is disposed between the end wall and the slot 5 2| is provided with an eye 42 to which one end of a exible tethering member 43 is secured and which extends outwardly through the slot 2| and is provided with a safety pin 44 at its opposite end which is adapted to rbeseuredina vgarment pocket Ain -whieh-the trap 8 is.,dispose,d `in a set position. ,Accordingly it will be readily apparent that "when a thief or pickpocket reaches into the lpocket :Qontainng the trap 8 and grasps and removes the trap fromvvthe pocket, when the trap 8 is movedtoflthe lextent permitted by the tether 43, 54116111 rmay ,be i-Qfpny desired length, a pull will then be exerted on the trigger bar 34 to displace it toward the trap end I8 thereby moving the trigger detent 3l out of engagement with the par -219 so that strip-spt aan @protect #the El their d .the hand of the pikpeeket who grasping e vtrap to thereby fen-snare the piclpoeket s0 lhatehe not escape. rSlhe1eatl-1er-enclosure .or leasing 4 5 of 'the trap T8 .will so nearly :resemble ,a ven.- tiona-l ,peekfetbaeli that .fa thief graspi-n he pocketbook will not be fQnewarnedaspreviously stated, and @the slots .0r open-ing sufficiently narrows@ thatthy w lilik diclee ,the @hamster .gf .the trap is.

@bviously, he ytippri ils intended t0 flue 1115@ by enforcement ...emes-ers partieularly detailed @enlaces frequented by eilenocleeis and thieves. Varimls fmgdifications ,and .changes are .eenF templted and :maviobviotsly flee ,resented to., .without-,departingfrom thesnir-itnrfscope ef'fthe invention anims..-

l ,aim asm-Y invention.: A pilsnocket trap @maximising .a formed tof leatheror the rli'leerovf izeandgsh to isimulate aY .wallet -a ...substantially fv igd ing seiiredfwithin said in said .housing .a plurality ixedlv .mounted-fen ASaid sha-.ft .-frfrotatien there with. rrngimeans remlvlnelsaisi Shaft minne 5.9 directwn .for swinglag the ',lxools steward a prnjected position outwardly of the trap housing and casing, a trigger :member -rpresially mounted in said housing., .a bar ixed :to @said shaft "and normaliyeng-as-ing'un afport Yoffsaic trie-ser 55 member the tran ,ris in set position :fer homing said spring :under tension 4:and for ere taining :the :in a position :with the disposed Within the -housns, .a -zwall oisadzhcusf ing and the casing pmlon covering :iSald "1W-al1 .60 beingprovidedwithfslotsfthroughwhich thahoojks are `.Sv/'ingame ,outwardly af zthe trap when `.the Spring fis reieasedvby movement .of .said trigger, andarexihleatether cconnected :to one end .offsaid trigger and `adapted 'to be fdetachably secured gin' 05 a garment pocket containing'fthe :trap oireF leasing :the trigger `when fa ipnllsis A,exerted :on the shaped to tightly engage said Shaft efor fnonf rotatably mounting ythe hooks .on the shaft.

`piclzpoeketV -ltrap comprising va. .casing formed of leather of ashape and lsizeitesimulate a wallet, a substantially frigid fhousng :secureddn ing member fastened at one end thereof to said trigger and having a garment engaging clasp at its opposite end for moving the trigger to a released position when a pull is exerted thereon.

4. A trap as in claim 3, said hooks having turned back barbed free ends adapted to pierce a hand grasping the trap when the hooks are spring urged to projected position.

WATSON FRANKLIN CURRY.

No references cited. 

